Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University unveiled plans to work together to advance research and education in biomedical engineering.

The goal is to create a portfolio of laboratory breakthroughs that could lead to life-changing treatments for patients, the organizations said.

Bob Kirsch, chair of Case Western Reserve’s biomedical engineering department, said this new model will build on the organization’s existing partnership to establish a framework for creating more joint efforts and increasing opportunities for trainees to study with scientists, physicians and engineers whose expertise ranges from nanotechnology and neural engineering to imaging and regenerative medicine.

Thus far, the alliance includes more than 50 researchers with primary appointments in biomedical engineering, as well as another 80 researchers in cardiology, ophthalmology, orthopedics and precision medicine from Case Western. In 2017 Case Western ’s biomedical engineering researchers received nearly $20 million in federal, industry and nonprofit support.

“After many years of collaboration, this formal alliance will push forward the teaching and research mission of our institutions,” said Geoff Vince, Chair of Biomedical Engineering at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

Case Western is also active in entrepreneurial efforts and translational research while Cleveland Clinic’s biomedical engineering department has won multiple grants, including the $14 million NIH Center for Accelerated Innovations.